There are no big showbiz names in the upcoming film about nursing leader Anastacia Giron-Tupaz. All the cast members will be nurses because the producers believe that members of the profession are "natural actors"who are trained to be at their best in front of their patients, even if they are tired or sad.
Producer Dr. Carl Balita pointed this out during the grand reveal of the movie's cast at the Philippine Nurses Association headquarters in Malate, Manila.
"The stories are so real, the situations and even the characters are so real because this is the first time you'll watch a film with all nurses in the cast. We travelled far and wide to find the talents that we need," Dr. Carl, who is also a nurse and a noted entrepreneur, remarked.
"I am very proud of our cast. They're not just ordinary people you will see acting for something, but they can actually deliver. This film is going to discover a star and stars will be born out of this film," he added.
"Siglo ng Kalinga" is PNA's cinematic offering to celebrate its centennial or 100 years of its formation. The movie touches on the life of Giron-Tupaz who founded PNA and was its first president. She is also considered the Dean of Philippine Nursing.
The movie is not just about the old days of nursing but also stretches to the modern times, specifically the heroic role of nurses during the COVID pandemic.
Directing "Siglo ng Kalinga" is Lemuel Lorca who previously did work on indie films like Bola, Ned's Project and Water Lemon.
The scriptwriter and line producer is Archie Del Mundo who is a senior in the industry. He presented the movie's cast which includes present nursing luminaries like Dr. Remedios Fernandez, Dr. Irma Bustamante and Dr. Lydia Palaypay.
Other nurses in the cast are Joy Ras who will play the role of Anna Formantes, Abbey Romero, Denmark Mismanos, Jewell Alano, Lorrich Del Tantoco, Joel Rey Carcasano, Jerico Roque, Dre Canaria, Bambi Rojas, VJ Mendoza, and Tads Obach.
Some people may wonder how financially viable a movie about nurses is. Take it from Dr. Carl who previously produced "Maestra" and "Nars" which starred Jennylyn Mercado and Jodi Sta. Maria.
"Let us remember that nurses are a big enough group to be ambassadors of the movie. For one, the PNA is a national organization with chapters all over the country. Don't forget, most of our nurses are overseas. They are waiting for a world tour of this film," Dr. Carl noted.
He concluded that watching the movie will deepen the public's understanding of the noble work of nurses. "It has always been my dream to elevate our profession to a higher level of appreciation through a film like this."